Mayo- Sligo Runs

Green&Red

Guys, while going up Croagh Patrick yesterday myself and a Sligo friend were wondering about any good runs around mayo sligo area, good hilly ones for stamina and easy to follow for people who wouldn;t know the track, any ideas?
Thanks

yop

As in competitive ones?

Was on a nice hilly run (all tarmac or loose chippens) on Saturday there near Castlebar, called the Booster station. Its going to be part of the Duathlon in March so I wanted to see what it was like. It states on the runIreland site that it 4km from main road to peak, so an 8km run.

I walked it with my wife on Saturday so I can't gauge its running level but it would be good as a hill run I think.

Its out the Glenisland road from Castlebar.

Green&Red

No just for training, just looking for nice runs

yop

Well that would defo do the job then.

Are you familiar with the road to Glenisland? Heading for the windmills?

Green&Red

I'm not but nothing a bit of google maps wouldn't sort out

yop

lol, not on fricking google with that much detail I am afraid

If you have an idea of Cbar - Head down pass McDonalds, Tesco roundabout. Head on towards the traffic lights and then pass the church.
Take the next left turn at the cross roads.
Follow that road keeping right for ABOUT 3 or 4 miles. You will pass a log cabin on the right, up and down the lovely hills.
Then keep an eye out for a sign outside a house on the left for plastic furniture.
Not too far from that on the right you will see a lay-by. Its a rough area for parking, maybe 5 or 6 cars.

You can park there OR drive up a bit up the road and there are a few more places to park, up to you really where you want to park.
From the main road to the top of the mast is down as 4km.

Hope this helps

Green&Red

It does, i'll give it a go next week, cheers


Any more suggestions?

catweazle

I might try that myself soon when the evenings get longer, a guy in the gym says you would not run it in less than an hour..........I can only assume it is steep enough so

Green&Red

that sounds like a challenge

Cool Running

Hey Green and Red,

In my own biased opinion Sligo is the best place in Ireland for training:D

Here is some good training spots

Slish Wood - This is a nice 2.5mile loop. Very easy to know the route as there is only one other track on the loop which is obvious not to take. Also very good for hill training as there is a massive hill half way through the route. http://ims0.osiemaps.ie/website/publicviewer/main.aspx#V1,574042,830335,5

HazelWood- probably one of the most popular spots in Sligo for training. This is a nice 2mile loop. Very easy to know the route. Unfortunately its as flat as a pancake except for one small hill.
http://ims0.osiemaps.ie/website/publicviewer/main.aspx#V1,571801,834977,6

Sligo Racecourse- This is another popular running spot in Sligo. There is a 1.5mile loop. Only problem is its very hard to know the route as their is many tracks, but there is usually plenty of runners around who would be more than happy to tell you the route. Very good for hills aswell and is used for cross country races.
http://ims0.osiemaps.ie/website/publicviewer/main.aspx#V1,570172,834821,6

Union Wood - This is another good forest run. There is a 5.6mile loop in it, which basically starts the opposite side of the entrance and basically crosses a road and take every left after that. Although the best thing is to make up your own route as their is plenty of tracks.
http://ims0.osiemaps.ie/website/publicviewer/main.aspx#V1,569233,829499,6

Knocknarea - This is not a popular running spot but seeing as you are looking for tough hilly runs it would be ideal. Its around 3mile up and down I think. If you like it then consider entering the Warrios Run, which goes up it from Strandhill. Here is the site http://www.warriorsfestival.com/
http://ims0.osiemaps.ie/website/publicviewer/main.aspx#V1,563637,833943,5

There is also Truskmore, its 4k up to the top of the RTE mast and its a tarmac road. Seriously tough, never done it myself just walked it a few times.
http://ims0.osiemaps.ie/website/publicviewer/main.aspx#V1,574316,846852,5

There are a few other places like the IT Sligo running track and pitches beside it.

Good luck with the training

yop

catweazle wrote: »

I might try that myself soon when the evenings get longer, a guy in the gym says you would not run it in less than an hour..........I can only assume it is steep enough so

Well I would do an 8km in circa 43/44 mins, and with probably 3km of the route "upwards" on the first 4km then I think an hour would be very good going.

This is a small section here on this pic

http://www.castlebar.ie/photographs/Landslide_at_Croaghmoyle.shtml

the road flows around to the left then back up again to the right where the mast is on the hill on the right. You can vaguely make out the trail on the right hill, it keeps that gradient all the way along.

Its a nice (my wife wouldn't agree) walk so could be worth a jaunt out there some evening. I understand the scouts are doing it at 7pm Tuesday if you wanted to join them. They put a 2hr up and down time on it.

DULLAHAN2

Cool Running wrote: »

Hey Green and Red,

Slish Wood - This is a nice 2.5mile loop. Very easy to know the route as there is only one other track on the loop which is obvious not to take. Also very good for hill training as there is a massive hill half way through the route. http://ims0.osiemaps.ie/website/publicviewer/main.aspx#V1,574042,830335,5

Is this out the ballintogher road from carrowe?

Cool Running wrote: »

Union Wood - This is another good forest run. There is a 5.6mile loop in it, which basically starts the opposite side of the entrance and basically crosses a road and take every left after that. Although the best thing is to make up your own route as their is plenty of tracks.
http://ims0.osiemaps.ie/website/publicviewer/main.aspx#V1,569233,829499,6

The entrance for this is out beside union foods is that right. Not sure of the route

Cool Running wrote: »

Knocknarea - This is not a popular running spot but seeing as you are looking for tough hilly runs it would be ideal. Its around 3mile up and down I think. If you like it then consider entering the Warrios Run, which goes up it from Strandhill. Here is the site http://www.warriorsfestival.com/
http://ims0.osiemaps.ie/website/publicviewer/main.aspx#V1,563637,833943,5

Does this go up to the glen road carpark and back again?

Cool Running wrote: »

There is also Truskmore, its 4k up to the top of the RTE mast and its a tarmac road. Seriously tough, never done it myself just walked it a few times.
http://ims0.osiemaps.ie/website/publicviewer/main.aspx#V1,574316,846852,5

Never Heard of this place ans cant make it out from the map. Where is it?

Cool Running

DULLAHAN2 wrote: »

Is this out the ballintogher road from carrowe?

Yes as you are heading out towards Ballintogher and Dromahair it is one your left hand side after some very twisty road

The entrance for this is out beside union foods is that right. Not sure of the route?

Ya its just down from Union foods. The entrance to Union Wood has a gate and on the other side of the road leads up to Ballygawley mountain. You start at the Ballygawlet side and run for about a Kilometre then cross the road back into Union at the lake, I think its every left them. You will end up running on the road and coming back to the start just by Union foods

Does this go up to the glen road carpark and back again?

If you are running up the mountain, its best to park in the Glen Road carpark. The Warriors itself always went up through the car park, except for this year when it took a diff route due to increased numbers. There is details on the site.

Never Heard of this place ans cant make it out from the map. Where is it?

The entrance to the road up to Truskmore is in the Gleniff Horseshoe. You will probably know the mast that can be seen from everywhere in Sligo up on Benbulben. The roads leads up to RTE buildings and the mast, never ran it, but heard of a few people who ran it once or twice

MAYO MUD RUN

Why not try Mayo mud run on 23 Mar. Register on Run Ireland. For a good laugh check out our video http://youtu.be/DRtRgg1PqCU

jonny d

MAYO MUD RUN wrote: »

Why not try Mayo mud run on 23 Mar. Register on Run Ireland. For a good laugh check out our video http://youtu.be/DRtRgg1PqCU

Great clip. Very funny. Is this Mayo's winter training program for Sam ?:eek:

ISOT

Try this 10k if you are back in Westport - its a route around the town from the quay ( but you can start anywhere) mostly on greenway and quiet country roads with two difficult hills.

belcarra

Check out http://www.mayotrails.ie/walking_trails.html for a few ideas.

I've been wanting to run Nephin for the past 6 months but haven't got the chance to yet.

hot to trot

Beautiful beautiful beautiful hilly run at the Back of Nephin, between Keenagh and Newport. Hillier end is at Keenagh which is 13/14 miles from Newport.

If starting at Newport , take road out towards Achill. Greenway starts on the left side of the road. Just past that on the RIGHT side of the road there is a turn for FURNACE and the Salmon research station. The first few miles are more gentle undulations, but as you follow the way marks ( and its all road based, solid trail . Wouldnt need trail shoes) it brings you passed the lakes area into forest park where there are 2-3 big hills. Actually there are more if you want to cut up some of the side paths.
After the last big hill, it eases down to Keenagh crossroads, where it meets the Belmullet/Castlebar road.

http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/28103100

Also , if you leave Castlebar heading North , take the WINDY GAP road. Its hilly . Continue towards Lahardane where there is a huge hill down/up depending on direction of travel. Also numerous side roads that go up to windmill farms that have good climbs.

Seaside...... Start outside Killala and head to Lacken. There is a big hill starting past Maughans pub , taking the old cemetery road. It goes up and over to Ballycastle. Alternatively you can continue up main road , up Lacken hill and along the undulating coast road to Ballycastle and then return up and over the hill on your way back. Great views. Quiet roads , no dogs.

http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/125436041 You dont have to do the extended run , just the big loop .

Was going to run around Lough Conn at the weekend but now I think I might revisit the Keenagh run. Its my absolute favourite and I discovered it preparing for Comrades

woody1

hot to trot..whats the surface on the keenagh loop like, its somewhere ive been meaning to get to, even just to walk it but havent got round to it yet..is it muddy trail, narrow road, path ? just to know what shoes to bring

yop and catweazle.. i ran ( very slowly jogged ) the booster a couple of times last year..training for harlequin and the cooley legends off road.. only ran it once completely , few other times i had to walk bits..and on the day of the harlequin after cycling up from town i had to walk 90 percent of the up bit.. but even on the way back theres a couple of little hills that are tough on the legs.. yeah from memory itd be round an hour...or maybe more but its great training..
i know someone here before recomended the route from town out to the booster as a great hilly training run as well..

woody1

mayo mud run, your only 5 minutes up the road from me but thats far too much muck and slobber for me but i have recomended you to a few i know that would be interested in that kind of thing

hot to trot

woody1 wrote: »

hot to trot..whats the surface on the keenagh loop like, its somewhere ive been meaning to get to, even just to walk it but havent got round to it yet..is it muddy trail, narrow road, path ? just to know what shoes to bring

.

I did the Keenagh loop once . Walked it in hiking boots and was glad I had them on . Was very muccy and boggy in places with only the begiinning and the end on a track/road kind of surface.

The run i mentioned Keenagh-Shraghmore is road, forest trail and nothing boggy.
HOpe that helps

woody1

yeah-doh, when i actualy read your post properly i realised you were on about somewhere else completely, ive driven that newport -keenagh lodge road and id say its nice alright,
nice forestry trails further on that road, at shramore lodge, theres a few loops on the mayo walk website i think their under letterkeen loops, but in reality unless you really like the muddy stuff youd be better off with an out and back on the forestry roads..